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View Full Version : [ubuntu] Home network problems (systems cant find each other)


AndyGibo
August 15th, 2009, 12:10 PM
Hi again, I have another problem!!!!!

I have a home network made up of 3 ubuntu systems, 1 acting as a file/printer server. The server is running 9.04, the other 2 are 8.10 and 8.04.

My problem(s) are that they are having difficulty seeing each other. I have manually edited the /etc/hosts file so that i can ping the systems by name. However when i try to add the shared printer to the other 2 systems across the network, they are unable to see the server. I have tried editing the /etc/resolv.conf file but everytime i restart the systems, any changes I have made are undone.

Please can someone offer advice, hints or tips to setting up a home network with ubuntu. It has to be easier than this!!!
Iowan
August 15th, 2009, 01:39 PM
Are the machines configured with static addresses, or is there a DHCP server?
AndyGibo
August 15th, 2009, 04:26 PM
The systems are all set to DHCP. IP Addresses are given out from router (crappy thing from Sky).
superprash2003
August 15th, 2009, 04:41 PM
well if they are set to DHCP , then ip addresses of the machines could change everytime , therefore the entries inserted in the /etc/hosts file could be useless..
Iowan
August 15th, 2009, 05:47 PM
Depending on DHCP server (router), it might be possible to set up static leases - based on MAC address. DHCP seems to overwrite /etc/resolv.conf, too, but the hosts file might work.
AndyGibo
August 15th, 2009, 06:11 PM
IP Addresses are reserved by the router based on MAC address, so the /etc/hosts file is fine. The /etc/resolv.conf always loses any changes I make after the system restarts.

Is there anyway of checking that all the systems are in the same workgroup? I have already checked the /etc/samba/smb.conf file.
AndyGibo
August 16th, 2009, 09:04 AM
Bump Bump
AndyGibo
August 16th, 2009, 05:06 PM
Bump again
Iowan
August 16th, 2009, 05:44 PM
The Ubuntu systems use /etc/dhcp3/dhclient.conf. That file has a "prepend" line that can be used to force your DNS server(s) of choice to the top of the list. This information should get written to /etc/resolv.conf.
dbalascak
August 17th, 2009, 03:12 AM
Do you have access to configure the router? Most Internet providers do not let you see the Internet side but some allow you to configure the home LAN side. You may be able to make the DHCP range smaller thereby leaving some IPs to be used for hosts with static IP configurations. For example if you were to set the DHCP range to be 192.168.x.50 thru 254, the range .2 thru .49 could be used for static IPs on hosts. This is assuming the .1 is used for the SKY router.